Adjustable volume pressure-fill container filling machine

ABSTRACT

A plurality of circumferentially spaced vertical liquid product dispensing cylinders are arranged for movement in a circular path. Each cylinder has an inlet and outlet for liquid product in its lower end and contains a vertically movable fluid pressure cylinder, in which there is a piston connected by a downwardly extending rod to a head at its lower end. The head fits within a cup-shaped flexible diaphragm, the edge of which is sealed to the side of the dispensing cylinder. The diaphragm forms the upper wall of a product chamber in the dispensing cylinder. Each fluid pressure cylinder can be vertically adjusted individually in the surrounding dispensing cylinder, and also all of the fluid pressure cylinders can be adjusted simultaneously a uniform distance to change the volume of the product chambers.

United States Patent Waxlax 1 Apr. 16, 1974 [54] Y ADJUSTABLE VOLUME PRESSURE-FILL 3,197,082 7/1965 Palombo 141 /284 X CONTAINER FILLING MACHINE 3,326,234 6/1967 Baker 14l/388 X Chester E. Waxlax, Moon Twsp.,

[75] Inventor:

[73] Assignee: Horix Manufacturing Company, Pittsburgh, Pa. 22 Fi1ed:. Sept. 27, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 183,996

[52] US. Cl 141/266, 141/146, 141/248, 141/339, 141/368, 141/388 [51] Int. Cl. B67c 3/28, B65b 65/02 [58] Field of Search 141/266, 270, 284, 368, l4l/388, 339, 146, 248

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,028,266 l/l936 Anderson 141/146 3,295,722 l/l967 Gordon l4l/284X 3,554,411 1/1971 Leining l41/1.46X 3,442,306 5/1969 De ROSe..;. 141/368 3,352,458 11/1967 Cramer 141/392 X 2,984,503 5/l96l Cunningham 141/388 X 3,065,887 11/1962 -Matejek 141/146X I 1 1 ,6 H l "/.5

F L i 1 Primary Examiner-Wayne A. Morse, Jr. I Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Brown, Murray, Flic &

Peckham [5 7] ABSTRACT A plurality of circumferentially spaced vertical liquid product dispensing cylinders are arranged for movement in a circular path. Each cylinder has an inlet and outlet for liquid product in its lower end and contains a vertically movable fluid pressure cylinder, in which there is a piston connected by a downwardly extending rod to a head at its lower end. The head fits within a cup-shaped flexible diaphragm, the edge of which is sealed to the side of the dispensing cylinder. The diaphragm forms the upper wall of a product chamber in the dispensing cylinder. Each fluid pressure cylinder can be vertically adjusted individually in the surrounding dispensing cylinder, and also all of the fluid pressure cylinders can be adjusted simultaneously a uni,-

5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures .OATENTEBAPR 16 19M sum 1 UP 2 ADJUSTABLE VOLUME PRESSURE-FILL CONTAINER FILLING MACHINE Pressure-fill container filling machines are known in which product dispensing cylinders are carried in a circular path continuously. During part of the cycle each cylinder receives a given quantity of liquid product, which it delivers to a container during another part of the cycle. The cylinders are provided with means for adjusting their capacity of their product chambers so that different quantities of product can be discharged from them into the containers being filled. However, each cylinder has to be adjusted individually, so that when it is necessary for them to deliver more or less product than before, every cylinder must be readjusted as a separate operation. This requires a considerable amount of time.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide a container filling machine in which the product cylinders not only can be adjusted individually so that'all will deliver the same amount of product, but also can all be quickly adjusted simultaneously the same amount by manipulating a single adjustment member.

. The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a fragmentary horizontal section through the filling machine; and

' FIG. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line IIII of FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawings, a vertical center post 1 of a container filling machine is rotatably mounted and driven continuously by conventional means not shown. Mounted on the upper end of this post is a supply tank 2 for the liquid product with which containers are to be filled. The top of thetank is sealed, except for an outlet opening that is connected by a hose (not shown) to suitable apparatus for maintaining pressure on the liquid product in the tank. Directly below the tank a plurality of horizontal conduit arms 3 extend radially away from the post at circumferentially spaced intervals. Each rigid arm is provided with a longitudinal passage 4, the inner end of which opens into the lower end of a vertical passageS extending up through a boss 6 on the inner end of the arm. The boss is sealed in an opening in the bottom of the tank, and the arm is fastened to the bottom of the tank by means of a screw 7. The outer end of the arm passage opens into the lower end of a vertical passage 8 extending up through a boss 9 on the outer end of the arm. Rigidly mounted on this boss is the lower end of a neck 10 around an opening in the lower end of a dispensing cylinder 11, which is a volumetric measuring device for the liquid product.

This cylinder has upper and lower sections that clamp the edge of a flexible diaphragm 14 between them. The diaphragm is cup-shape and divides the cylinder into upper and lower chambers. Fitting in the diaphragm cup is a cylindrical head 15 on the lower end of piston rod 16. The bottom of the head engages flat against the bottom of the diaphragm and is joined to it.

The piston rod extends up into a fluid pressure cylinder tween them, in which the side wall of the diaphragm can double upon itself and roll as the diaphragm is raised from its lowest position in engagement with the bottom of the lower chamber.

The outlet from the tank 2 normally is closed by a valve at the lower end of vertical passage 5. The preferred type of valve is a diaphragm valve that includes a flexible diaphragm 21, the edge of which is clamped in an opening in the bottom of arm 3 by means of a sealing disc 22 that has an opening in its center. Extending upwardly from the center of the diaphragm is a solid closure member 23, the upper end of which is engageable with a valve seat 24 around the lower end of passage 5. The valve normally is held closed by air pressure beneath the diaphragm delivered through a tube 25. When this pressure is reduced sufficiently and the upper end of the fluid pressure cylinder 17 has been connected with the atmosphere, the air pressure above the liquid in the tank will force it down through passage 5 and out through arm 3 and up into the product chamber of the dispensing cylinder 11, where the liquid will push the diaphragm 14 upwardly until piston 18 engages the upper end of the fluid pressure cylinder. In this way the chamber below the diaphragm is filled with liquid product, the quantity depending upon how .far the diaphragm can move upwardly.

In order to fill a container from the dispensing cylinder, the conduit arm 3 has an-outlet opening 27 in its bottom between the tank valve 23 and the cylinder. Extending downwardly from this opening is a cylindrical flange 28, to the lower end of which a container filling tube 29 is attached for insertion in a container in the usual manner. While the dispensing chamber is being filled from the tank, the outlet 27 is closed by a valve, preferably one like the diaphragm valve described above; except that it is inverted. Thus, the diaphragm 31 of this valve is at the top and is clamped in a recess at the top of the arm by a sealing disc 32 that has a passage through its center. The downwardly flaring closure portion 33 of the valve will seat against aseat 34 surrounding the upper end of the outlet port when air pressure is admitted above the diaphragm through a tube 35. This valve does not block passage 4 while the dispensing chamber is being filled.

After the dispensing chamber has been filled, the tank valve 23 is closed by air pressure below it and the pressure on top of outlet valve 33 is reduced. Then air pressure is supplied to the upper end of fluid pressure cylinder 17 to force its piston and the diaphragm 14 down in order to discharge liquid from the dispensing cylinder. down through the filling tube 29 and into a container in which the tube is inserted. The pressure of the liquid beneath valve diaphragm 31 causes the outlet valve to open. If all of the fluid pressure cylinders have been adjusted properly in their dispensing cylinders, all of the latter will deliver exactly the same amount of product to the containers. It will be understood that as post 1 and arms 3 revolve, the dispensing chambers are filled and emptied in succession.

To permit the proper adjustment to be made, each fluid pressure cylinder 17 extends up through the upper end of the surrounding dispensing cylinder 11 and is provided with an external screw thread 37. Also, the outside of the fluid pressure cylinder is provided with one or more vertical slots 38 that receive the inner ends of radial pins 39 projecting inwardly from an encircling ring 40 screwed into the upper end of the dispensing cylinder. These pins prevent the fluid pressure cylinder from turning. Encircling each fluid pressure cylinder and registering with its threads isan internally threaded adjusting collar 42. The lower end of this collar is provided with an outwardly extending radial flange that fits between ring 40 and a snap ring 43 in a groove in the ring. This prevents the adjusting collar from moving up or down relative to the dispensing cylinder. By manually turning the collar, the fluid pressure cylinder can be adjusted vertically to increase or reduce the volume of the chamber beneath the diaphragm when the latter is in its upper position. Each cylinder is adjusted by its own adjusting collar until all of the cylinders will deliver the same quantity of liquid product to the containers.

Another feature of this invention is that after the individual adjustments have been made, all of them can be changed exactly the same amount simultaneously. This can be accomplished by encircling each of the adjusting collars 42 with a sprocket 45 that fits between the underlying cylinder ring 40 and a snap ring 46 in a peripheral groove in the collar. To adjust the cylinders individually, the adjusting collars are turned inside the sprockets, which can remain stationary, but each sprocket is provided with a radial set screw 47 that can be tightened against the encircled collar to lock the sprocket and collar together so that they will turn in unison. These screws are tightened for the purpose just mentioned after the cylinders have been adjusted individually. If it is then desired to deliver a greater or lesser volume of liquid product to containers, all of the sprockets are turned in unison to adjust the fluid pressure cylinders 17 up or down the same amount simultaneously. This is accomplished by means of a chain 48 that extends around all of the sprockets and also around a sprocket-49 keyed on a vertical shaft 50 rotatably mounted in bearings 51 projecting from the machine. This shaft can be turned by a motor or simply by a hand crank or wheel 52' (FIG. 2) attached to it. When it is turned, its sprocket 49 causes the chain to move lengthwise in one direction or the other and that rotates all of the adjusting sprockets 45 together the same number of degrees.

Consequently, the volume of liquid product delivered by the dispensing cylinders to containers can be varied by simply turning the hand wheel, whereby a great deal of time is saved as compared with earlier machines in which such adjustments could beeffected only by adjusting the cylinders individually. If for any reason one of the dispensing cylinders is found to deliver a different volume of liquid product than the others, all that has to be done is to loosen the set screw 47 in the sprocket above that cylinder, turn the adjusting collar inside the sprocket to raise or lower the fluid pressure cylinder the required amount, and then retighten the set screw. 1

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire'to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. In a pressure-fill container filling machine, a plurality of circumferentially spaced vertical liquid product dispensing cylinders, means for carrying the cylinders in a circular path continuously, each of the cylinders having an inlet and outlet for liquid product in its lower end, a vertically movable vertical fluid pressure cylinder mounted in each dispensing cylinder, a piston in each fluid pressure cylinder, a piston rod connected to the piston and extending down out of the lower end of the fluid pressure cylinder, a cup-shape flexible diaphragm in each dispensing cylinder below the fluid pressure cylinder therein, means sealing the edge of the diaphragm to the side of the dispensing cylinder, a head secured to the lower end of each piston rod and fitting within the adjoining diaphragm, means for individually adjusting each fluid pressure cylinder vertically in the surrounding dispensing cylinder, and means for vertically adjusting all of the fluid pressure cylinders simultaneously a uniform distance.

2. In a pressure-fill container filling machine according to claim 1, said individual adjusting means including a manually rotatable member connected to each dispensing cylinder, and said simultaneous adjusting means including means for turning all of said rotatable members in unison.

3. In a pressure-fill container filling machine according to claim 2, in which said turning means include a chain and sprockets and releasable means for connecting the sprockets to said rotatable members.

4. In a pressure-fill container filling machine, a plurality of circumferentially spaced vertical liquid prod uct'dispensing cylinders, means for carrying the cylinders in a circular path continuously, each of the cylinders having an inlet and outlet for liquid product in its lower end, a vertically movable vertical fluid pressure cylinder mounted in each dispensing cylinder, each fluid pressure cylinder extending above the dispensing cylinder surrounding it, a piston in each fluid pressure cylinder, a piston rod connected to the piston and extending down out of the lower end of the fluid pressure cylinder, a cup-shape flexible diaphragm in each dispensing cylinder below the fluid pressure cylinder therein, means sealing the edge of the diaphragm to the side of the dispensing cylinder, a head securedto the lower end of each piston rod and fitting within the adjoining diaphragm, each fluid pressure cylinder being provided with an external screw thread,,an internally threaded ring screwed onto each fluid pressure cylinder above a dispensing cylinder and rotatably supported by the upper end of the latter for individually adjusting the fluid pressure cylinder vertically in the surrounding dispensing cylinder, means holding each ring against upward movement relative to the underlying dispensing sprockets in unison. 

1. In a pressure-fill container filling machine, a plurality of circumferentially spaced vertical liquid product dispensing Cylinders, means for carrying the cylinders in a circular path continuously, each of the cylinders having an inlet and outlet for liquid product in its lower end, a vertically movable vertical fluid pressure cylinder mounted in each dispensing cylinder, a piston in each fluid pressure cylinder, a piston rod connected to the piston and extending down out of the lower end of the fluid pressure cylinder, a cup-shape flexible diaphragm in each dispensing cylinder below the fluid pressure cylinder therein, means sealing the edge of the diaphragm to the side of the dispensing cylinder, a head secured to the lower end of each piston rod and fitting within the adjoining diaphragm, means for individually adjusting each fluid pressure cylinder vertically in the surrounding dispensing cylinder, and means for vertically adjusting all of the fluid pressure cylinders simultaneously a uniform distance.
 2. In a pressure-fill container filling machine according to claim 1, said individual adjusting means including a manually rotatable member connected to each dispensing cylinder, and said simultaneous adjusting means including means for turning all of said rotatable members in unison.
 3. In a pressure-fill container filling machine according to claim 2, in which said turning means include a chain and sprockets and releasable means for connecting the sprockets to said rotatable members.
 4. In a pressure-fill container filling machine, a plurality of circumferentially spaced vertical liquid product dispensing cylinders, means for carrying the cylinders in a circular path continuously, each of the cylinders having an inlet and outlet for liquid product in its lower end, a vertically movable vertical fluid pressure cylinder mounted in each dispensing cylinder, each fluid pressure cylinder extending above the dispensing cylinder surrounding it, a piston in each fluid pressure cylinder, a piston rod connected to the piston and extending down out of the lower end of the fluid pressure cylinder, a cup-shape flexible diaphragm in each dispensing cylinder below the fluid pressure cylinder therein, means sealing the edge of the diaphragm to the side of the dispensing cylinder, a head secured to the lower end of each piston rod and fitting within the adjoining diaphragm, each fluid pressure cylinder being provided with an external screw thread, an internally threaded ring screwed onto each fluid pressure cylinder above a dispensing cylinder and rotatably supported by the upper end of the latter for individually adjusting the fluid pressure cylinder vertically in the surrounding dispensing cylinder, means holding each ring against upward movement relative to the underlying dispensing cylinder, and means for turning all of said rings in unison to vertically adjust all of the fluid pressure cylinders simultaneously a uniform distance.
 5. In a pressure-fill container filling machine according to claim 4, said turning means including a sprocket rotatably mounted on each threaded ring, releasable means normally locking the sprocket to the ring, a chain extending around all of the sprockets, and means for moving the chain lengthwise to turn all of the sprockets in unison. 